As I visit this website often for tips and companionship in caring for my mother in my home, it seems to me the great percentage of caretakers are women. Having only two sons, that are attached to wives, I wonder if I have any chance of either of them being there when I need help as I age. It seems to me they will run in the opposite direction, or expect their wives to jump in to get them off the hook? I would love to hear about some sons who jumped in to help with caretaking.
Good for you and your son. Uplifting to know that there are some men who can face this end stage of life with compassion for those who need it so much.
I'm taking. Are ofmy mother but do not plan on being taken care of by my only child. Daughter. I peronally want to die before I get old and crusty.
Reggie from Livingston, New Jersey
"For a long time, caretaking has been viewed primarily as a female role, however, the 2010 Census shows that this stereotype is changing. The number of male caregivers has already risen from 19 percent in 1996 to almost 40 percent in 2009, and the number will continue to increase, narrowing the gap between female and male caregivers."
I would really like to know exactly how they define "caregiving" and how they gathered the statistics. If a mother lives with her son and daughter-in-law, and the DIL does most of the hands-on work (very common), are they counting the son as a caregiver?
So I would take the 40% with a grain or two of salt, but I think it is probably true that the number of male caregivers is increasing.
Anyway, it doesn't matter how many men take up caregiving, as long as your sons do, if needed -- right? :-D